Apparatus for use in connection with vise



Aug. 18,1970 F. BR AU N' ETAL APPARATUS FOR'USE IN CONNECTION WITH VISE Filed Nov. 16, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l Free? 49/000 7 A//a/7 fffireJawav' INVENTORY BY M W 8r PM /ITTORNEYS Aug. 18, 1970 F-BRAUN El'AL APPARATUS FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH VISE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 16, 1967 A//a/7 /'T Brew-0W0 I INVENTORJ IO A 8! PM /ITTORNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 248-309 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A vise is swung to and from the work position by attaching the vise to apparatus which includes a base secured to a support, a plate which is engaged by the jaws of the vise, and an elongate arm which joins plate and base and is pivotally connected to each.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In many contexts of use wherein a vise is employed, far example in connection with milling machines, it is necessary to use a vise only at certain times. And when in use, the vise occupies space which is needed for other operations when the vise is not in use. Consequently, the vise must be moved from the area when the other operations are to be performed.

But, as will be readily understood, the vise is a heavy and bulky instrument which is not easily moved merely by lifting by hand to a remote location. Besides, time is lost through such hand carrying of the vise, and this is valuable time of the operator of the milling machine. Further, it may be important that another operation be performed without the loss of time which is required to move the vise. Still further, storage space, such as a portion of a worktable or the like, must be provided for the vise when not in use, and in a compact and crowded shop this can create other difliculties.

Despite these difficulties, there has been no practical means developed in the prior art for overcoming the disadvantages of movement of the vise by hand. Thus, milling machine operators and others who must use the vise in connection with other operations have continued to face these problems with the result that much time and effort is wasted or inefficiently exploited each time such operations are employed.

The present invention provides a simple and important solution to these problems which have plagued the industry ever since the vise 'has been used in conjunction with other operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to means for mounting a vise or other ancillary holding or manipulating attachment to a general purpose machine tool, such as a milling machine, so that the vise or other such attachment may be readily moved to and from a work area. By use of the present invention, the vise may be easily moved to the work position. Then, when the vise is not being used, it may readily be transferred away from the work area so that other operations may proceed in that area. If the vise is needed elsewhere, it may be completely removed from the device of this invention with a minimum of effort. In this manner, the vise may be efiiciently employed in connection with other operations.

In general, the device of this invention comprises a base plate for attachment of the apparatus to a suitable support, a means for detachably mounting a vise to the apparatus, and an arm pivotally connected to the base plate for connecting the base plate to the mounting means.

3,524,617. Patented Aug. 18, 1970 'ice The mounting means is also desirably pivotally connected to the arm joining the mounting means to the base plate.

The device provided is of simple construction. It is sufliciently strong to carry the heavy vise, yet is readily and quickly movable with very little effort to and from the work position. And it does not require special hooks or clamps or other attachment means for securing it to the vise. In this manner, it is not only a very simple matter to secure the vise to the device, but also the device can be made to fit various sizes and configurations of vises or other attachments.

'BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be clearly understood, it will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification and which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, in operation on a milling machine with the vise in a position removed from the work area, the vise and milling machine being indicated by dashed lines;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 1 illustrating a portion onlyof the vise and milling machine; and,

FIG. 3 is a top view of the devise shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is seen in FIG. 1 a milling machine 10 upon which the device 12 constructed in accordance with the invention is attached. While it will be understood that the device 12 may be used in various contexts of use and work environments, significant use will be made in conjunction with the milling machine because of the variety of operations which must be performed in conjunction with the vise in that particular context. Therefore, the present illustrative embodiment is couched in terms of this context of use. The milling machine 10 is seen to include a generally flat surface 86 which may be used for a work area with the vise, and a ledge 68 around the upstanding portion thereof, spaced from the work area 86.

In FIG. 1, the device 12 is seen to be carrying a vise 14. Here again, the vise illustrated in conjunction with the invention is merely exemplary and the particular vise 1 may assume other convenient configurations. The vise 14 directly toward or directly away from the other jaw, and

means for accomplishing such movement. The means for accomplishing such movement may desirably include the hand crank 80, which when turned by the operator causes the jaws to separate or to move together in a manner which is well known to those of skill in the art. 0

Each of the jaws 76 and 78 presents a generally flat face toward the other jaw. It will be understood that when the jaws 76 and 78 separate, an opening 84 (see FIG. 3) will be formed between these faces. It is of course in this opening that material is placed for working while being clamped by the jaws of the vise.

The depth and positioning of the jaws 76 and 78 are such that they are spaced above the bottom plate 72. Consequently, there is formed an open area 82 beneath the jaws, between the jaws and the plate 72. This area remains unoccupied during the various operations, although of course the opening 84 may be closed by moving together of the jaws.

The vise 14 is moved into and out of the work position by use of the device 12 constructed in accordance with this invention.

Briefly, the device 12 comprises a base 16, means such as the mounting member 18 for detachably securing the device to a vise, and at least one arm 20 for connecting the mounting means 18 to the base 16. The arm 20 is pivotally connected to the base, and is also desirably pivotally connected to the mounting means.

The base 16 includes in the illustrated embodiment a generally flat curved plate 22 which is horizontally disposed to fit onto a suitable support surface such as the ledge 68 of the milling machine 10. A couple of upstanding legs 24 and 26 are located one on each side of plate 22, and integral with the plate, forming an acute angle with the upper portion of the plate. Means are included at the end of each of the legs 24 and 26 for securing the base to the chosen support. Such means may desirably comprise the bolts 28 and 30, which are used to secure the legs to the support in a conventional manner.

It is of course understood that any suitable type of support may be employed, and the exact construction of the base 16 may vary somewhat from what has been described above depending upon the shape of the support used to be operably functional with a particular vise or other ancillary attachment structure. As previously mentioned other ancillary attachments may be as conveniently operably secured to base 16 as the vise just described.

Means for detachably securing the device 12 to the vise 14 may take the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Here 1t is seen that such means comprises the mounting member 18 which includes a generally L-shaped member oriented on the device so that the horizontally-disposed web portion 46 is above the vertical plate member 48. The web 46 joins plate 48 at an angle of substantially 90. The vertical plate member 48 presents a generally flat front face 64 and flat rear face 66, each of which is adapted to fit flush against the jaws 76 and 78, respectively. Near the bottom of the plate member 48 are a couple of pins 60 and 62, which extend through the plate 48 to project through the fiat surfaces on each side of the plate. One of these pins is desirably located on each side of the center of plate 48, near the lateral edge of the plate. In this embodiment, the pins are equidistantly spaced from the center of the plate.

It is seen that the plate member 48 contains no special hooks or clamps for attaching onto the vise 14. Instead, the plate member 48 is conveniently positioned in the opening 84 formed between the jaws 76 and 78 when the jaws are separated, and the jaws adjusted until the jaws are moved into firm engagement with the plate on both sides of the plate. This is suflicient to firmly lock the vise 14 on the plate. In this manner, not only are no special attaching means, which require extra time to latch, employed, but also it is recognized that the plate 48 is capable for fitting vises or other attachment with minimum amount of adaptation, if any.

When the vise is locked to the device in this manner, the pins '60 and 62 will fit beneath the jaws 76, 78, in the open area 82 as illustrated in FIG. 2. The bottom of jaws 76 and 78 may rest on the pins 60, 62, these pins providing assurance that should the engagement between the jaws and the plate 48 not be firm enough to retain the vise on the plate, the vise will not slip from the plate. Instead, the vise will be caught by the pins 60, 62. Because the weight of the vise is unevenly distributed on either side of the plate 48, there will be a moment formed which relieves the pins 60, 62 of the full weight of the vise, even if the vise jaws should slip from engagement with the plate 48. However, for perfect safety pins 60 and 62 are preferably made sufiiciently strong to support the entire weight of vise 14.

The vise mounting member 18 includes a tubular portion 44 which is formed integral with the horizontal web 46, at the end of the web opposite its junction with the plate 48.

The elongate arm 20 which joins the mounting member 18 to the base member 16, includes at one end thereof a tubular shaped portion 42 correspondingly shaped with the portion 44. The portion 42 is adapted to be concentrically positioned with respect to the portion 44 and to abut the portion 44 at one end, so that a single pin 34 may be disposed longitudinally through the center of each of these portions. In this manner, each of the ends of the arm 20 and the end of the mounting member 18 are adapted to turn about the common pin 34. The ends of the pin 34 are desirably threaded to receive retaining means such as the nuts and 52. A washer 54 is desirably included between the portions 42 and 44 to reduce friction between these members as one of them moves relative to the other.

By this arrangement, the mounting member 18 is free for pivotal rotation with respect to the arm 20. Consequently, the vise which is attached to the mounting member may be pivotally rotated with relation to the arm of the device.

Means are included for pivotally connecting the arm 20 to the base 16 of the device 12. At its end opposite the mounting member 18, the arm 20 includes in this embodiment another generally tubular portion 36 adapted for the receipt of a suitable pin member 32 extending from the plate portion 22 of the base 16. It will be understood that any suitable pivot pin arrangement may be employed for this connection. In such manner, the arm 20 is free for pivotal movement with respect to the base 16 of the device. Since the vise 14 is attached to the device at the other end of the elongate arm 20, it will be seen that pivotal connection in this manner is extremely important and valuable for easily and readily swinging of the vise to the work position and thence to a position removed from the work position.

Since the portion 36 of the arm 20 will rotate above the upper surface of the plate 22, it is desirable to include an antifriction washer 56 between the plate 22 and the portion 36 of arm 20.

The arm 20 is desirably angled downwardly at a suitable point 58 so that it includes a horizontally oriented portion adjacent the base 16, and a downwardly angled portion toward the vise 14. This arrangement allows the device to be supported from a base located above the work area.

The arm 20 may desirably include reinforcing ribs 38 and 40 as illustrated in FIG. 2, for additional strength.

As will be readily understood from the above discussion and the exemplary drawings, the apparatus 12 may be securely fastened to a support member by attaching the base 16 to the support. When it is desired to remove a vise 14 from the work area, the vise is detachably secured to the apparatus by first swinging the device to the position illustrated in FIG.' 3. The jaws of the vise are separated to provide a relatively large opening 84, and the device is positioned until the plate 43 is in the opening, and the pins 60 and 62 are beneath the lower level of the jaws 76, 78. The vise is then adjusted until the jaws 76 and 78 close firmly on the plate 48, in the position illustrated in FIG. 2.

The vise is then manually swung from the work area simply by pushing on the vise until the vise reaches the desired position such as that illustrated in FIG. 1.

When desired, the vise may be removed from the device in like manner, by separating the jaws 76, 78 sufficient to lift the plate 48 from the opening between the aws.

Any suitable materials of construction may be employed. It is desirable that the apparatus be of cast construction of noncorrosive materials. It will be recognized that sufficient material strength to support a heavy v1se is necessary.

It is seen that an apparatus is provided which allows for the first time a vise to be safely and easily removed from the work area and stored. The device speeds setup and completion of vise operations. It eliminates the necessity for a separate worktable or the like to store the vise, and it further eliminates injury to the operator or other worker from lifting or dropping the vise.

It is further seen that a device is provided which is of simple construction and is readily adaptable to various working environments. It requires no special hooks or clamps for attachment to the vise.

While the invention has been described in terms of a particular embodiment which at the time of the application represents the best mode known to applicants, it is readily apparent that various changes may be made in the particular structures illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.

In this description, terms such as horizontal, vertical, above and bottom have been used with reference to the illustrated embodiment. Such terms are used for purposes of clarity of description only and are not to be construed as limiting.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for detachably securing a vise to a support structure, said vise having a couple of jaws at least one of which is adjustable toward and away from the other, comprising:

a base member for securing the apparatus to a suitable support;

vise mounting means for detachably securing the vise by engagement with said jaws,

said mounting means presenting substantially unobstructed surfaces comprising a generally flat front face and a generally flat rear face of a vertically oriented plate, each said front face and said rear face being adapted to engage one of the jaws of said vise to detachably secure said vise thereto;

safety means on said mounting means, said safety means comprising pins in a lower portion of said plate which pins extend beyond said front and rear faces to a position beneath said jaws, so that jaws will be retained by said pins if said jaws slip from engagement with front and rear faces;

an elongate member connecting said vise mounting means with said base member;

said elongate member being pivotally connected with said base member,

the vise being readily secured to said apparatus to conveniently swing said vise from the work position to a position removed from the work position, so that the work position may be readily make avail able for other operations.

2. Apparatus for detachably securing a vise to a support structure, said vise having a couple of jaws at least one of which is adjustable toward and away from the other, comprising:

a base member for securing the apparatus to a suitable support; I vise mounting means for detachably securing the vise by engagement with said jaws,

said mounting means presenting substantially unobstructed surfaces comprising a generally flat front face and a generally flat rear face of a vertically oriented plate, each said front face and said rear face being adapted to engage one of the jaws of said vise to detachably secure said vise thereto;

safety means on said mounting means, said safety means comprising pins in a lower portion of said plate, which pins extend beyond said front and rear faces to a position beneath said jaws, so that said jaws will be retained by said pins if said jaws slip from engagement with front and rear faces;

an elongate member connecting said vise mounting means with said base member;

said elongate member being pivotally connected with each said vise mounting means and said base member,

the vise being readily secured to said apparatus to conveniently swing said vise from the work position to a position removed from the work position, so that the work position may be readily made available for other operations.

3. Apparatus for detachably securing a vise to a support structure, said vise having a couple of jaws at least one of which is adjustable toward and away from the other, comprising:

a base member for securing the apparatus to a suitable support;

a plate member presenting a front face and a rear face,

for detachably securing said vise by securely engaging one of said jaws with said front face and the other of said jaws with said rear face, presenting at least a portion thereof which is substantially unobstructed;

safety means on said plate member, said safety means comprising pins in a lower portion of said plate member which pins extend beyond said front and rear faces to a position beneath said jaws, so that said jaws will be retained by said pins if said jaws slip from engagement with front and rear faces; an elongate arm member connecting said plate member with said base member;

said arm member being pivotally connected with each said plate member and said base member, the vise being readily secured to said apparatus to conveniently swing said vise from the work position to a position removed from the work position, so that the work position may be readily made available for other operations.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,007,590 10/1911 Miller 248282 2,315,393 3/1943 Bowerman 8234 2,692,109 10/ 1954 Schmidt 248246 3,301,547 1/1967 Jordan 269--71 X ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner J. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. -68; 269-56 

